This tool is cool but i usually grab the spindle in the center where it doesn't matter...I've never ruined one either. this would be very helpful if your just checking thrust and radial bearings and just want to take the grips off and leave the spindle in the head.

I don't know what you are thinking but it is made for getting the second bolt out.

Understood, but I never bothered. Whenever I pulled my grips off for whatever reason whichever spindle bolt came loose first was removed. The other stayed in place on the spindle and I pulled the whole spindle out with grip #2.

Too bad it's not an original idea

SHAME! .....It's a product originally designed by me, called the "Cletus Wrench" and I introduced the prototypes for beta testing at IRCHA Jamboree 2010.
Do a Google search for Cletus Wrench and see for yourself!

nice to see Bobby doing well
nothing a thick piece of rubber or leather and a pair of vise grips can't handle.
reminds me of the flybar locking tool.

SHAME! .....It's a product originally designed by me, called the "Cletus Wrench" and I introduced the prototypes for beta testing at IRCHA Jamboree 2010.

Sorry to burst your bubble but this type of wrench has been around a long time in this hobby, just not mass marketed. It was in a model magazine in the late 90's if memory serves me correctly. Also there have been a few members on here and other sites making there own tool.

Snap-on tools has had the YA480 which is a small torque type screwdriver that uses a one-way bearing. This has been around even longer.

To hover is divine, the alternative is rather PLANE.

As far as patents go, patent pending is more potent than the actual patent.

My daily battle/task is to study patents and design around them. But, you can't design around what is not published.

Also, patent pending does not guarantee it will get awarded. Even if it was awarded, it can also get revoked if it is proven that it was in public domain before the patent application.

So, if Cletus was original, and it first became public knowledge at IRCHA, it can still be filed prior to 1year mark or IRCHA 2011.

Even if it is a genuine patent, unless you are dealing with millions of dollars, you can't protect is when someone copies the design.

One example is a bottle cap invented by one man that was copied by Lipton. After 5 years, he has won the case and was awarded $100,000. However, all that money went to the plaintiff's lawyer and he ended up with ZERO.

Patents are more like a land mine rather than a road block. You just need to tread carefully around them.

Patents are more dangerous to startup companies than to an established with stable financials. I knew it would never hold up in court but I had to bypass a claim of less than 4lb and less than 120cu.in size in the patent. So, I designed mine to be 4.01lb and 121cu.in just to be safe. If the competition filed for injunction, it could halt the production for months which could be devastating to any startup.